Can-opener.



0. A. NORLUND.

CAN OPENER.

APPLICATION TILED MAY 29, 1914.

Patented Nov. 3, 1911 ATTO R N EY THE NORRIS PETERS C0. PHDTO-LITHm. ASHINGTON. D. C

onor A. NoRnuNnor WILLIAMSPOR'I', PENNSYLVANIA.

CAN-OPENER.

Application filed May 29, 1914. Serial No. 841,816.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented ev. s, 1914.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, OLor A. NOBLUND, a citizen of the United States, residing at WVilliamsport, in the county of Lycoming and State'of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Can-Opener, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in can openers.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of can openers and to provide a simple, practical and inexpensive can opener of strong and durable construction, adapted to open any shape can with perfect ease and safety, and at the same time, leave a smooth edge.

A further object of the invention is to provide a can opener of this character capabio of easy operation, without liability of withdrawing the pointfrom the can, and adapted to feed itself automatically.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and.

novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the plate, parts being arranged for insertion in.

a wooden handle.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, 1 designates a blade curved downwardly and tapered forwardly to a point and having an upper or front convex cutting edge 2, which is oppositely beveled.

The blade has anenlarged intermediate por- I tion 3 and a straight shank 4 extends inwardly from the top of the intermediate enlarged portion 3. The lower or rearconcave edge of the tapered blade is blunt, and the intermediate portion 3 is provided at its lower portion with a notch 5, which is engaged by a fulcrum plate 6, disposed transversely of the blade andprovided with a slot 7 through which the blade passes. The transverse fulcrum plate, which is preferably tapered upwardly, projects below the lower edge of the bladeand is provided with a sharp, oppositely beveled lower can engaging edge 8. The upper edge 9 ofthe intermediate portion of the blade is convex or rounded and bears against the upper end wall of the slot 7 of the fulcrum plate. The fulcrum plate, which is set at an obtuse angle to the shank 4 of the bladeis adapted to'bite into the engaged surface of a can and prevent the can opener from slipping during its operation, whereby the can may be cut at any point with perfect safety.

The fulcrum plate is provided with an integral sleeve ,10, which, in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4: inclusive, is extended to provide an integral metallic handle 11. but the sleeve may terminate a shortfdistance beyond the shank 1 of the blade to provide a construction for use in connection with a wooden handle 12, as illustrated in Figs. 5 to 7 inclusive. The sleeve 10 is formed by bending or folding the metal longitudinally to provide two sides and a connecting top portion, the sides being compressed tightly against the shank of the blade, which is firmly held in the sleeve. The sides of the sleeve and the shank 4 may I be indented as shown at 13 and 141 to securely fasten the parts together, but any other suitable fastening means may, of course, be employed. As the strain incident to the operation of the can opener tends to maintain the shank firmly against the top portion of the sleeve, the fastening means herein shown and described will be ample to securely connect the parts and provide a strong and durable can opener.

The handle 11 tapers toward the sleeve, which is adapted to be conveniently grasped between the thumb and fore-finger. The rear or inner end portion 15 of the handle is curved downwardly and bent inwardly and terminates in a segmental lip 16, which is adapted for removing bottle caps. In

.opening a bottle, the handle is placed upon the top of the cap or crown seal, and the lip is engaged with one edge of the crimped flange of the same, and the device is used as a lever for lifting the cap off the bottle,

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 5 to 7 inclusive, the sleeve 17 of the fulcrum plate extends a short distance be-' 10 yond the shank of the blade, and when the sleeve is forced into the handle 12, it is maintained in tight engagement with the shank of the blade, and the parts are securely connected together. In the formation of the sleeve and the fulcrum plate the sheet metal is bent or folded longitudinally to provide the sides for engaging and embracing the shank of the blade, and the front or outer portion of the sheet metal is bent downwardly to nearly a right angle to form the fulcrum plate.

lVhat is claimed is 1. A can opener including a handle, a blade consisting of a shank extending longitudinally of the handle and connected therewith, a downwardly extending intermediate portion, and a downwardly and forwardly curved blade tapered to a point and provided with an upper front cutting edge,

; and a transverse fulcrum plate slotted to receive the intermediate portion of the blade and interlocked therewith at the lower edge thereof.

2. A .can opener including a handle, a

iblade consisting of a front cutting portion,

a shank connected with the handle, and an intermediate portion located beyond the handle and having a notched lower edge, and a transverse fulcrum plate having a 403slot receiving the intermediate portion of slotted to receive the blade and provided with a sleeve bent inwardly to embrace both sides of the shank of the blade.

4. A can opener including a blade having a shank, and a transverse fulcrum plate slotted to receive the blade, a handle, and a sleeve formed integral with and connecting the handle and the fulcrum plate and receiving and embracing the shank of the blade.

5. A can opener comprising a blade consisting of a substantially straight shank, an intermediate portion extending downwardly from the shank and having a curved upper edge and provided in its lower edge with a notch, and a front cutting portion extending downwardly from the said intermediate portion and having a front cutting edge, a transverse fulcrum plate provided with a slot receiving the intermediate portion of the blade, the lower end wall of the slot being engaged with the said notch and the upper end wall of the slot fitting against the rounded upper edge of the intermediate portion, and a sleeve formed integral with the fulcrum plate and extending inwardly from the top thereof, said sleeve receiving the shank and having top and side portions for engaging the same.

6. A can opener including a blade having a shank, a sleeve receiving the shank, and a transverse fulcrum plate, said sleeve and fulcrum-plate being constructed of a single piece of sheet metal bent or folded longitudinally at its inner portion to provide sides for engaging and embracing the said shank, the front or outer portion of the. sheet metal being bent downwardly at substantially a right angle to the sleeve and slotted to receive the blade.

In testimony, that 1 claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto alfixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

OLOF A. NORLUND.

Witnesses ELnnRT A. PORTER,

E. M. Games.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

'Washington, D. O. 

